Muscle tear likely to delay debut for new Sharks star

Brett Keeble

STAR signing Luke Lewis has been left out of Cronulla's 25-man squad to tackle the Knights in Tamworth on Saturday but is still a chance of making his first appearance in Sharks colours.

The 29-year-old former Penrith captain and NSW and Australian utility is recovering from a torn abdominal muscle, but a Sharks spokesman said he could be a late inclusion if he continues to improve.

Lewis is in the first year of a three-year contract with the Sharks after he left the Panthers in controversial circumstances last season. Since his debut as an 18-year-old in 2001, the Blacktown City junior played 208 games in 12 seasons for Penrith, including their 2003 grand final victory over the Roosters.

Amid speculation of a falling out with Penrith coach Ivan Cleary, who relieved him of the captaincy duties while he was representing NSW, Lewis announced he was leaving the club. The Sharks beat the Knights and Wests Tigers for his signature.

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Lewis has recovered from surgery last year to remove a cancerous lump on his thyroid, but has been hindered by a torn oblique muscle suffered during pre-season training.

The Sharks have been bolstered by the off-season arrival of Lewis and his former Panthers teammate Michael Gordon, experienced Wests Tigers pair Chris Heighington and Beau Ryan, and former Bulldogs winger Jonathan Wright. Gordon, Heighington, Ryan and Wright have all been named to play against Newcastle, and skipper Paul Gallen is down to play his first game this season after withdrawing from the All Stars match two weeks ago.

Wright is one of four Knights juniors in the Cronulla squad - the others are Anthony Tupou, Mark Taufua and John Morris - and hooker Isaac De Gois played 63 games for the Knights from 2009 to 2011.

Five-eighth Todd Carney is still recovering from the torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Cronulla's 34-16 loss to the Raiders in a qualifying final in Canberra last September.

Meanwhile, Knights coach Wayne Bennett will decide on Friday whether to include winger James McManus in the Newcastle team.

McManus was named in a 27-man squad and joined the Knights in Tamworth on Wednesday after training in Newcastle on Tuesday.

Knights high-performance manager Jeremy Hickmans said McManus would train with the team on Thursday and Friday ''then we'll make a call after that''.

McManus is the only injury concern. Bennett, captain Kurt Gidley, and several players, including Willie Mason, Jarrod Mullen, Matt Hilder and Jeremy Smith, went to Coonabarabran on Wednesday to visit schools and present a cheque for almost $14,000 to the mayor's bushfire relief appeal.

Saturday's game kicks off at 7.30pm and will be refereed by Gerard Sutton and Brett Suttor.